Are chess players athletes?

I can't keep debating with you brother. I created a new thread because the question of topic in the other thread was "Is chess a sport?". This question is different. You may think I'm trolling , I really don't care, but the truth is that this debate has been going on for a lot longer than you've probably played chess. In my experience even players who insist chess is a sport balk at calling chess players athletes. Especially in person and around people who are athletic. Whatever you may think I find it very interesting that certain people want to designate chess a sport. The thinking behind attaching that label to chess players is what fascinates me. It's all those sociology/philosophy classes coming back to haunt me.

I don't necessarily consider chess a sport, but your premise relies on the assumption that all sports are played by athletes.  This is a weak argument based on semantics as the definition of a sport isn't restricted in this way.

It wasn't necessary to start the same topic again.

Thinking about it another way, if you've heard people argue this for years, then it's very unlikely something as simple as an ad absurdum argument will put it to rest.

 

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Heh, at least you're honest ;)

I also doubt people will say chess players are athletes.  The only reason I can think of it as sport-like is because there's preperation and competition.  I guess in my area I wasn't raised to associate the word sport so strongly with ball games (for example).

To designate chess as a sport, wouldn't it also follow that checkers is a sport?

How about tiddlywinks (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiddlywinks)? 

Or, mumblety-peg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mumblety-peg)?

Haha, yeah, is checkers a sport then?  How about tic-tac-toe?  How about knitting?

I think the main idea is people arguing for chess as a sport want to have aspects like skill, preparation and competition recognized and find a word like game too casual.  And without another word available that means something like "difficult and grueling competition without intense physical exertion" sport is used.

It's not like everyone doesn't already understand the major distinctions between chess and ball games, but some still don't realize there are major distinctions between games like chess and games like tiddlywinks, so the obfuscated argument rages without making these points directly (my two cents anyway).

See ^ now we're getting some progress made

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sport

This gives 5 possible definitions for "sport" and I can't see any reason why chess can't be covered by point 3.

I think you would have to be classed as an "athlete" to compete in any sport covered by points 1 or 2, but not neccesarily point 3. So whilst your typical chess player is hardly very athletic, I don't think this is an argument against chess being a sport.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_international_sport_federations

Lists chess and darts... as well as "boot throwing"

You will get better responses if you do not poison the well in the framing of your question.

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Why are people often posting food in these threads, I'm getting hungry and I 've already had breakfast. I'm overweight as it is. I can't imagine why, I play a lot of chess.

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I've been losing weight by drinking more wine, and pairing the wine with good food.

Drunk and thin, soumds good.

yep, chess is a sport that doesn't require physical skills.

Sport stands for leisure.

Sport is all forms of physical and non physical activities which provide competitive entertainment to participants.

Sports require a degree of skill.

Sports are usually governed by a set of rules.

Do I see chess as a sport?

No, sports involve physical strength, speed, or endurance. To me chess a sport for the brain.

Sorry, forgot to answer the question.

Chess players arent athletes.

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 It's a trick question, both are.

is the latter not a picture of the Olympic Champion water chess team then?

they won't make it that far because of steroid abuse

This topic is akin to "Shouldn't chess be in the Olympics?"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_Olympiad

It's all rather subjective, IMO. For example, why should curling be included but not chess? http://www.topendsports.com/events/winter/sports/curling.htm

Just because sonething is included in the Olympics that does not mean its a sport. Rugby, crickett and raquetball are all not Olympic sports yet everyone k kws they Re sports.

Chess is not a game or sport it is a Mystery that has NOT has been solved for a Thousand Years !      My bag some poster on Chess.com solved it last week.

Not in the least, they call it an athletic body for a reason. Sure I'm sure they have some chess people who are fit, but as your question asks no, it doesn't make them atheletes just because they play game. If you call chess players athletes, you're disrespecting real ones.